Eco Factor: Wind-powered vehicles are zooming into our future for a windy ride.
The idea of tapping the wind’s energy to propel vehicles on water seems to be age-old. However, using the same eco energy to run, rather race, the cars on concrete roads is new to our eco world. Recently at the Racing Aeolus 2008 competition, the InVentus vehicle zoomed ahead of the all participating wind-powered cars and crossed the winning line. Weighing just 130 kg, this Stuttgart Ventomobile picked up enough momentum from its propeller on the rear when the winds blew. This three-wheeled car features a 2 meter diameter, two-bladed rotor mounted on top.
Dark Side: Wind-dependent vehicles cannot promise a green ride all the time. Being at the mercy of wind, users will literally have to wait for a strong gust of air to get in motion. Maybe in regions where such gusty winds are moving about in abundance, wind-powered cars can see a future. But no way can such eco vehicles be swapped with fuel-guzzling cars.
